Cliff Stearns: “I am sure a lot of Members don't even know about this extension. So I think it is a credit to the majority that they…”

“I am sure a lot of Members don't even know about this extension. So I think it is a credit to the majority that they brought this up, because I think all of us want to see this important medical correction for doctors. Under the current SGR formula, doctors face a 21 percent cut in their Medicare reimbursement. This fix would delay those cuts until April 30. Because the majority has not properly addressed real Medicare reform, we continue in the House to apply these short-term patches rather than provide doctors with a permanent solution to the reimbursement formula. Although this correction, fix, extension is important, also important in this bill is the Satellite Home Viewers Act, which is extended through April 30. I am glad that this extension is included, but I am hoping we can move the 5-year extension that passed this body overwhelmingly, bipartisan support, by a large margin, but now my colleagues have bogged down in the United States Senate.”